Fumonisins

The most recently characterized mycotoxins of any major significance in human health are the fumonisins produced by species of Fusarium, such as F. moniliforme. Like a number of mycotoxins, the fumonisins are relatively heat stable and would not be significantly destroyed by drying processes for corn or heat treatments used for the production of maize derivatives. Fumonisin B1 is water-soluble is known to be responsible for equine encephalomalacia, porcine pulmonary edema syndrome and hepatic cancer in rats and maybe involved in the epidemiology of esophageal carcinoma in humans in southern Africa and parts of China.